<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Breathless by pressedinthepages</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219355">Breathless</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressedinthepages/pseuds/pressedinthepages'>pressedinthepages</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, eskel is a softe bean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219355</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressedinthepages/pseuds/pressedinthepages</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eskel finally returns to you, but he worries that too much has changed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eskel (The Witcher)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Breathless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Reader Request: [Hi 👋 I love your stuff, especially your Eskel content ❤️ If I may request a cute prompt? I imagined Eskel and reader have been dating pre-Deirdre, so before Eskel had the scars on his face. After the Deirdre debacle, Eskel returns to reader expecting her to turn him away but then she tells him that nothing can keep her away from him? Or something similar. It's ok if you're not in the mood for this ❤️❤️]  ow it’s ok i didnt need my heart anyway.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
  <span>The wind soars through your skin where you stand atop the cliff, blown over countless waves and bottomless depths of the ocean. You breathe in the salty air as your hair turns wild from the gusts of wind. A ship appears on the horizon, destined for the port at the foot of the cliffs. A piece of parchment almost slips from your grasp, but you turn with the breeze to follow the path back to your cottage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Pebbles crunch under your every step as you approach the door, greeted by the scent of hearty stew bubbling on the fire. You kick of your boots as you close the door behind you. You light a candle and bring it over to the table in the middle of the room, letting the light dance over the words on the parchment once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>These are the sweetest days, marked by letters received from your beloved. Eskel used to blow through your town almost monthly, dead-set on seeing you. But he has not been back in almost two years, only his letters sent to keep you company. His first letter came with the first winds of spring, telling the tale of his ill-found Child Surprise. Your stomach fell when you read that he had been injured, but he seemed in well enough to be concerned of yours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Every letter that he sends begins with the words “I’m Sorry.” You ache for him, longing to have him with you. This most recent letter though has your heart in your throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Eskel has boarded a boat headed for Skellige, finally returning to you after so long apart. You fold up the parchment and stow it away in the small chest with the others, turning to busy yourself for his arrival. The floor gets swept, the stew is stirred. You straighten up the furs and blankets along the bed, fluffing up the pillow that has rested alone on Eskel’s side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Before you know it the sun is setting, bright reds and oranges painting the sky in great strokes. You take a deep breath in an attempt to calm yourself, your heart beating erratically at the prospect of seeing Eskel once more. You startle when you hear hoofbeats along the path, tears welling up in your eyes as you hear them approach your home. They stop, and you can tell that a rider dismounts and makes himself busy with the horse’s tack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>The door creaks as you push it open slowly, revealing a strong black warhorse, stamping his feet impatiently on the ground. A man stands with his back to you before the horse, running his fingers through the mane. He has double swords strapped across his back and dark brown floppy hair, and you would recognize that bright red and brown striped armor anywhere.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Your feet propel you forward, crashing unelegantly against Eskel’s back as you wrap your arms around his middle. You feel him melt into you, his body sighing into yours as two stars meet in the night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Oh, Eskel,” you say as tears spring from your eyes, “there are not adequate words for how </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>it feels to have you in my arms again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“I-I am so sorry that it took me so long,” Eskel murmurs, still facing away from you. “I...I don’t look how I did when you saw me last.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>You loosen your grip around him, feeling how tense his muscles are. “My darling Witcher, is that why you’ve not been back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Eskel only hums, nodding his head as his right hand reaches up to scratch at his cheek. Your heart breaks for him, and you rest your head in the space between his shoulder blades as you take his hand in your own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Eskel,” your voice only enough to carry on a gust of wind, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>promise, </span>
  </em>
  <span>there is not a single thing in this world that could make me stop loving you. I-” your voice catches a bit, “I wish that you had told me sooner, so that maybe you would not have had to go through it alone. But I understand if you needed time. Please, love. Let me see you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Eskel sighs before he turns around, stepping so that your hands stay where they rest on his hips. Over the entire right side of his face is a series of vicious slashes, starting from his hairline and through his brow, branching off to cover his cheek and notch into his lip so that it seems to be in a permanent snarl. Eskel’s eyes are closed and his brow furrowed, and you can feel in the air how </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared </span>
  </em>
  <span>he is that you will turn him away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Instead, you only reach up and gently place your hand over the raised skin, and you feel him flinch at the contact. “Oh my love,” you whisper, “I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>so sorry.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>You stand up on your tiptoes and press your lips against his, featherlight and fleeting. Eskel’s hand reaches up and settles over your own, twining your fingers together. “You-” Eskel blinks open his eyes, and your heart soars when you </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>see those familiar golden orbs. “You’re not frightened?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Frightened?” you ask, incredulous. “No, Eskel. I could </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>be frightened of you. The only fear that I have is that I will someday lose you, and I’d like to stave that off for as long as possible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Eskel smiles, and the movement pulls strangely at the scar, looking all the world like a pained grimace. But all you can see is the relief and joy in his eyes before he wraps his arms around you and pulls you close. You rest your head over his heart and listen to the slow pounding in his chest as Eskel threads his fingers through your hair, pressing his nose into the crown of your head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“I’m so happy that you’re home, Eskel.” You murmur, squeezing him tight in your embrace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“As am I, my love. As am I.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks so much for reading :) you can find me on tumblr @pressedinthepages</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>